Which of the following is a fault observed in a ring dip?

• A. Too much grip tension
• B. Chalk on hands excessive
• C. Not pressing through the feet
• D. Inactive shoulders

Answer: (D)

In ring dips the crucial idea is keeping the shoulder girdle actively engaged throughout the movement to stabilize the body on the rings. When the shoulders stay active—depressed, pulled down and back, with the chest open—the scapulae provide a solid platform, the arms stay aligned, and you can press up and lower down with control. If the shoulders are inactive, that stability is lost: the scapulae don’t anchor the rings, your torso can sag or drift, and the mechanics become less efficient and more stressful on the joints. This lack of shoulder engagement is why the fault described is inactive shoulders.

The other issues tend to be less central to the ring-dip pattern. Excessive grip tension can impede endurance but isn’t the defining fault of the movement, chalk on the hands is more a surface habit than a technique flaw, and not pressing through the feet isn’t the primary factor in how the shoulder girdle functions during the dip.